by Lisa TomeContributing editor​ Luke Lawrence and his friends don't have to worry about buying bait for their fishing trips. Lawrence is a master at catching his own bait. "I fish four times a week and I'm here a lot. I fish ponds around Rising Sun, too," said Lawrence, who is 13. He and his friends were fishing at the Stone Wharf, Charlestown, last Wednesday. They are regulars there and attracted the attention of others fishing around them. He has learned to successfully work a six foot quick throw mono net.

Using spin action, Lawrence throws the net into the water and pulls it back out within a few seconds. The net typically yields a handful, or on one cast last week, about 30 two to three inch shad bait fish. "I've been fishing all my life. My dad taught me how to fish. I'm fishing and he's at work. We catch catfish, stripers, and an occasional eel in the net," said Lawrence. He said the family eats the stripers and might sometimes eat catfish. Everything else, he throws back. "I think it's fun catching fish. There's the thrill of it," Lawrence said. The young fishermen attracted the attention of a Churchville man who was also fishing. That man, and a boy who fished with him, were fascinated with the bait catching. Lawrence threw the net in again, pulled it out, and offered the bait to the Harford County fishermen.